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Resources
Helpful places to start when you're looking for information, services, or support.
You don't have to know exactly what you're looking for. These trusted resources can help you find your next step.
Ontario-Wide Resources
Start Here / Finding Services
211 Ontario
Not sure where to start? 211 Ontario can help you find community, social, health and government services available in your area.
Call or text 211 • Available 24/7
Health & Home Support
Ontario Health atHome
Helps people access home and community care services and provides information and support related to long-term care placement.
Provincial contact: 1-833-515-1234
Health811
Connect with a registered nurse for free, confidential health advice and help finding health services in Ontario.
Call 811 • Available 24/7
Caregiver Support
Ontario Caregiver Organization
Provides free information, resources, education and support for unpaid caregivers across Ontario, including help navigating available services.
Ontario Caregiver Helpline: 1-833-416-2273 • Available 24/7
Visit Ontario Caregiver Organization →
Mental Health & Safety
9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline
Provides free, confidential suicide crisis support by phone and text anywhere in Canada.
Call or text 988 • Available 24/7
Visit 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline →
Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario
Provides information and resources to help older adults, families and communities recognize, prevent and respond to elder abuse.
Visit Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario →
Seniors Safety Line
Provides confidential support, information, safety planning and referrals for older adults in Ontario who are experiencing abuse or neglect.
Call 1-866-299-1011 • Available 24/7
If you or someone else is in immediate danger or requires urgent medical attention, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Financial & Government Supports
Government of Canada — Pensions & Retirement Benefits
Find information about federal retirement income and benefits, including the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS), Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), and related benefits.
Visit Government of Canada Pensions & Benefits →
Ontario Seniors — Financial & Government Supports
Find information about Ontario programs and financial supports for older adults, including provincial benefits and assistance for seniors with lower incomes.
Developmental Services & Aging
Developmental Services Ontario (DSO)
The access point for adult developmental services funded by Ontario. DSO can help eligible adults with developmental disabilities understand and access available supports and services.
Visit Developmental Services Ontario →
Passport Program
Provides funding for eligible adults with developmental disabilities to support community participation, activities of daily living, person-directed planning, and caregiver respite.
Learn About the Passport Program →
Planning can become especially important as adults with developmental disabilities and the people who support them grow older. Resources and supports may help with planning for changing needs, greater independence, community participation, and the future.
Brantford & Brant County Resources
Finding Local Services
Brantford Brant Norfolk Ontario Health Team — Older Adult Services
A local resource hub that helps older adults and caregivers find information and services related to health and wellness, safety, housing, staying active, caregiving and other needs.
Explore Older Adult Services →
Grand River Council on Aging — Info Hub
Provides a searchable collection of local community resources organized around the different areas of an age-friendly community. The City of Brantford specifically points residents to this Info Hub and says it contains more than 350 local resource links.
Visit Grand River Council on Aging →
Older Adult & Community Support
Adult Recreation Therapy Centre (ARTC)
Provides programs and supports that promote independence, social connection and well-being for older adults, adults with disabilities, families and caregivers. Programs include adult day services, caregiver support groups, aphasia programming and community exercise.
Brantford: 519-753-1882 • Programs also available in Brant County
Visit Adult Recreation Therapy Centre →
Brantford Seniors' Resource Centre
Provides practical support to older adults, including help accessing services, completing forms, personal advocacy, income-tax assistance and social programming. No referral is required.
Phone: 519-309-0032
View Brantford Seniors' Resource Centre Information →
Caregiver & Dementia Support
Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton
Provides information, education, programs and support for people living with dementia and their care partners and families.
Brantford: 519-759-7692
John Noble Home — Day & Stay Program
Provides day, afternoon and overnight programs for adults in Brantford and Brant County experiencing memory loss, while also offering respite and support for caregivers.
Brantford & Brant County residents
Learn About the Day & Stay Program →
Mental Health & Substance Use Support
Canadian Mental Health Association — Brant Haldimand Norfolk
Provides community-based mental health services, including counselling, groups, peer support, recovery-focused programs and other supports for people experiencing mental health concerns.
Visit CMHA Brant Haldimand Norfolk →
SOAR Community Services
Provides crisis, substance use, concurrent disorders, withdrawal management, treatment, justice and homelessness supports in the Brantford area. Services include the crisis line, withdrawal management and treatment programs, groups, and the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic.
24-Hour Crisis Line: 519-759-7188 • Toll-free: 1-866-811-7188
Visit SOAR Community Services →
Brant Community Healthcare System — Mental Health Services
Provides hospital-based mental health and addiction services, including assessment, individual and group therapy, crisis counselling and other outpatient supports for adults experiencing mental health or substance use concerns.
Self-referrals and referrals from health-care or community professionals are accepted for applicable outpatient services.
Visit BCHS Mental Health & Addictions →
ConnexOntario
Provides free and confidential information and navigation to mental health, substance use and problem gambling services throughout Ontario.
Available 24/7 • Call 1-866-531-2600 • Text CONNEX to 247247
Mental health and substance use challenges can affect adults at any age, including older adults. Support is available, and it's never too late to reach out.
Housing Support
SOAR Community Services — Housing Resource Centre
Provides free support to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of losing their housing. Support includes housing searches, housing applications, landlord liaison, tenant rights and responsibilities, and connections to other community services.
73 Murray Street, Brantford • 519-759-1290 • Toll-free 1-888-621-0034
Visit the SOAR Housing Resource Centre →
Food Support
Brantford Food Bank — Community Resource Service
Provides emergency food assistance to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations.
1100 Clarence Street South, Brantford • 519-751-4357 ext. 1 • Appointments required
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul — Brant
Provides emergency assistance to individuals and families in Brantford and Brant County, including grocery gift cards or food vouchers, clothing, household items and furniture.
143 Wellington Street, Brantford • 519-751-0143
Support is provided through local SSVP branches based on where you live. Visit their website to find the contact for your area.
The Salvation Army — Community & Family Services
Provides emergency food assistance and other community supports to individuals and families experiencing financial hardship.
Brantford: 33 Diana Avenue • 519-752-7814 • Food bank appointments required
Visit Salvation Army Brantford Food Bank →
Hot Meals & Meal Support
The Brantford Blessing Centre
Provides free hot meals to people in need every day of the year, including weekends and holidays. No documents are required to access the meal program.
7 Burnley Avenue, Brantford • Daily meal service
Canadian Red Cross — Meals on Wheels, Brantford
Delivers affordable, nutritious meals to people who are unable to prepare their own food, helping them maintain a healthy diet and continue living independently. Hot and frozen meal options are available.
446 Grey Street, Unit 105, Brantford • 519-753-4189
Visit Brantford Meals on Wheels →
Transportation Support
Brantford Lift
Provides accessible, door-to-door shared transportation for registered individuals who are unable to use regular Brantford Transit because of a disability or accessibility-related limitation.
Eligibility is based on a person's ability to use conventional transit, not age or diagnosis alone. Registration is required.
Phone: 519-752-4444
Canadian Red Cross — Transportation, Brantford
Provides affordable transportation for older adults and people with disabilities who are unable to use public transportation or private transportation. The Brantford service provides transportation to medical appointments within the city, Brant County and some destinations outside Brant County.
446 Grey Street, Unit 105, Brantford • 519-753-4189
Visit Canadian Red Cross Transportation →
Legal Rights and Advocacy
Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE)
Provides legal information, advice and advocacy related to issues affecting older adults, including long-term care, retirement homes, health-care consent, powers of attorney, elder abuse, pensions and income, home care and hospital issues. Eligibility requirements apply to some legal services.
Toll-free: 1-855-598-2656
Visit the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly →
Steps to Justice — CLEO
Provides free, easy-to-understand information about Ontario law and practical next steps for common legal problems, including housing, human rights, elder abuse, income assistance, wills and powers of attorney.
Visit Steps to Justice →
Legal Aid Ontario — Community Legal Clinics
Community legal clinics may provide free legal assistance to people who meet eligibility requirements. Clinics can assist with matters such as housing, social assistance, pensions and other legal issues.
Toll-free: 1-800-668-8258
Find Legal Aid & Community Legal Clinics →
Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT)
Provides information and services related to decision making capacity, substitute decision-making, guardianship, powers of attorney and protection of the legal, personal and financial interests of certain vulnerable Ontarians.
595 Bay Street, Suite 800, Toronto · 416-314-2800 · Toll-free: 1-800-891-0504 · TTY: 1-833-813-5696
Visit the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee →
Ontario Human Rights Commission — Age Discrimination
Provides information about rights and protections from discrimination based on age in areas including services, housing and employment.
Learn About Age Discrimination & Human Rights →
Indigenous Supports
Gihekdagye Friendship Centre
Supports the urban Indigenous community across Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk through cultural programming, healing and wellness, housing and navigation, justice supports and other community services. Life-Long Care and Seniors programming supports Elders, older adults and caregivers with wellness, independence, social connection and connections to community resources.
274 Colborne Street, Brantford - 519-304-7400
Visit Gihekdagye Friendship Centre →
De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre
Provides culturally safe, holistic health and wellness services that bring together Indigenous approaches and Western health care. Their Brantford services include primary health care, mental-health/addictions supports and Indigenous Patient Navigation. The navigator can assist with coordination of services, advocacy, follow-up care and connecting people with resources across the health-care system.
36 King Street, Brantford - 519-752-4340
Patient Navigation: 519-750-4323
Visit De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre →
Brantford Native Housing
Provides culturally grounded housing and outreach support for Indigenous individuals and families in Brantford/Brant County, including affordable housing, transitional housing, housing applications, community referrals, identification/Status Card assistance and other practical supports.
318 Colborne Street East, Brantford - 519-756-2205
Visit Brantford Native Housing →
Métis Nation of Ontario — Aging at Home Program
Provides holistic in-home support specifically for Métis adults age 55+. Services can include light homemaking, laundry, transportation for community errands, referrals, lawn care/snow removal, meal preparation/food-security support and Elder advocacy.
442 Grey Street, Brantford - 1-800-263-4889 ext. 7
Visit Métis Nation of Ontario — Aging at Home →
Palliative Care, End-of-Life & Bereavement Support
Stedman Community Hospice — Hankinson House
Provides hospice palliative care and support for people living with a progressive, life-limiting illness and their families. Services include residential end-of-life care, community outreach, supportive care, caregiver support, advance care planning, and individual and group grief and bereavement support. Supportive care and bereavement programs are offered free of charge.
445 Grey Street, Brantford · 519-751-7096 ext. 2500
Visit Stedman Community Hospice →
Brant Community Healthcare System — Palliative Care Program
Provides inpatient palliative and end-of-life care through an interdisciplinary team, with a focus on pain and symptom management, comfort and dignity. A medical referral is required.
Brantford General Hospital · 200 Terrace Hill Street, Brantford · 519-751-5544
Visit Brant Community Healthcare System →
Brantford Brant Norfolk Ontario Health Team — Palliative & End-of-Life Care
Provides a central place to explore local palliative and end-of-life supports, including hospice, community outreach and palliative-care services for people who wish to receive support at home or in the community.
Explore Palliative & End-of-Life Care →
Assistive Devices & Home Safety
Ontario Assistive Devices Program (ADP)
Helps eligible Ontario residents with long-term physical disabilities pay for certain assistive devices and specialized supplies. Funding is available for items such as wheelchairs and other mobility aids, hearing devices, visual aids, home oxygen, respiratory equipment and communication aids. Eligibility requirements vary by device.
Information line: 1-800-268-6021 · TTY: 1-800-387-5559
Visit Ontario's Assistive Devices Program →
Home and Vehicle Modification Program
Provides funding to eligible Ontario residents with mobility-restricting disabilities for modifications that can help them live safely and independently at home. Eligible modifications may include ramps, stair or platform lifts, widened doorways, bathroom modifications and other accessibility changes. Financial and other eligibility requirements apply.
Visit the Home and Vehicle Modification Program →
VON — Safety at Home Assessment
Provides free home-safety assessments and recommendations to help older adults remain safe in their homes. The Brantford Brant Norfolk Ontario Health Team currently lists this service for Brantford and Brant residents.
Phone: 519-759-7750 · Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Explore VON Safety at Home Assessment →
Ontario Exercise & Falls Prevention Programs
Free community-based programs for adults age 65+ that support mobility, strength and balance and help reduce the risk of falls. Falls-prevention programs may also provide education about creating a safer home environment. No referral is required, although available services vary by location.
Seniors' INFOline: 1-888-910-1999 · TTY: 1-800-387-5559
Explore Exercise & Falls Prevention Programs →
Looking for resources in your community?
Northgate 55's resource page highlights Ontario-wide services and resources available in Brantford and Brant County. If you live elsewhere in Ontario, Northgate can also help you explore services and resources available in your local community based on your individual needs.
Can't Find What You're Looking For?
Not every situation fits neatly into a resource list. If you're unsure where to start, Northgate 55 can help you explore your options and identify resources that may fit your situation.
Resources are provided for informational purposes. Programs, eligibility requirements, contact information and availability may change. Please confirm current information directly with the organization.